If you have tried doing an asana like the headstand or Shirshasana, it is a great example of how the body, breath and mind unite. Mentally the first obstacle might be fear. Fear of falling or fear of hurting yourself. Physically, your body must support you to come up into the pose. You need to have a strong back, a strong core and a good sense of balance.
If you are gasping for breath you will not be able to come into the pose. So how the body, breath and the mind unite to lift you up into the headstand and keep you upside down for as long as you desire is a beautiful experience. And with that we learn not just about the body but also about how we perceive fear, how we react to it and how we respond to it.
Standing on the head, your legs which are usually rooted to the earth, become rooted to the sky. Thanks to this grounding, apart from the blood rush to the brain that brings in large amounts of oxygen, it is also said that Sirshasana increases intuitive perception and we learn balance and courage.
Here’s how you can prepare to achieve the headstand:
- Work on improving your upper body and core strength by practicing a few dolphin push ups and hold that dolphin pose for 10 counts.
- Visualise yourself as an upside down tree with your roots in the sky. Think of the trunk of the tree as your spine and your crown on the earth.
- Ensure that your spine and the back of your neck is warmed up before you get into this pose.
- Practice everyday and you will get there!
Check out this tutorial video on how to do the headstand for more.
Sirshasana is a fun pose to try out and even better to be able to hold with ease. It relaxes the heart and makes you feel energetic. I hope this post motivates you to try it out and reap the benefits both physically and spiritually!